The present invention relates generally to fluid metering baffles, and more particularly to a fluid metering baffle for a cooled component of a gas turbine engine.
There are a variety of known gas turbine engine configurations, including two-spool, high-bypass engines. Such an engine typically includes a high pressure spool, a combustion system and a low pressure spool disposed within an engine case to form a generally axial, serial flow path about the engine centerline. The high pressure spool includes a high pressure turbine, a high pressure shaft extending axially forward from the high pressure turbine, and a high pressure compressor connected to a forward end of the high pressure shaft. The low pressure spool includes a low pressure turbine, which is disposed downstream of the high pressure turbine, a low pressure shaft, which typically extends coaxially through the high pressure shaft, and a low pressure compressor connected to a forward end of the low pressure shaft, forward of the high pressure compressor. A fan is also connected to the low pressure spool, forward of the low pressure compressor. The combustion system is disposed between the high pressure compressor and the high pressure turbine and receives compressed air from the compressors and fuel provided by a fuel injection system. A combustion process is carried out within the combustion system to produce high energy exhaust gases to produce thrust and turn the high and low pressure turbines, which drive their respective compressors and the fan to sustain the combustion process.
The high energy gases contain a substantial amount of thermal energy, which is transferred to the high and low pressure turbines. Therefore, certain components of the high and low pressure turbines are cooled using relatively cool air that is bled from the low pressure compressor and/or the high pressure compressor. This cooling air can be fed into various structures, for example, turbine airfoils. The cooling air can be metered in order to control its flow by attaching metering structures in the cooling air flowpath. These metering structures must be sealed properly in order to ensure proper metering, which adds cost and increases the time to manufacture the cooled structures.